Cove Forests are unique ecosystems found exclusively in North America, in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States. They are a special type of forest known as mixed decidous, meaning that forest's trees lose their leaves in fall. Cove forests are restricted to mountain "coves," which are bowl-shaped valleys with very rich, fertile, damp soil. Many cove forests have streams wandering through part of the forest. The cove forests of the South exhibit the greatest plant and tree diversity of any forests in the United States.
The cove forests of South Carolina are restricted to the northwest portion of the state, extending from the north of Westminster to north of Greenville, Jones Gap State Park, Table Rock State Park, Oconee State Park, and Caesars Head State Park all contain cove forest communities.
AUTHORS
Dr. Ed Pivorun is a professor of zoology at Clemson University. He teaches courses in mammalogy, comparative animal physiology, and tropical biology. His research program includes the physiology of mammalian hibernation and daily torpor. He is currently funded to survey the mammal species distributions within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of the All Taxa Biological Inventory, sponsored by Discover Life in America. His e-mail address is EBPVR@clemson.edu
Dr. Tim Spira is a professor of botany at Clemson University. He teaches courses in plant ecology, field botany and ecology of the southern Appalachians. His research interests include studies of the interaction of pollinators and plants. He is currently writing a natural history book examining major plant communities in the Carolinas. His e-mail address is STOMOTH@clemson.edu
PRODUCTION
Executive Producer: John Bane
Producer, Designer, Art Director, Flash Programmer: Mark Ross
Photography: Ed Pivorun, Tim Spira
Videography: Gaines Halford, Mark Ross
Proofreaders: Nicole Stonecypher, Brenda Ward
Curriculum Specialist: Angela Black
REFERENCES
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